West=On=Track
-News

Minister Cullen Confirms
Roll-out of Western Rail Corridor

Does not favour
"stop-start" approach

Press Release 19th April
2007

The West on Track Community Campaign warmly welcomes the
statement today at Ireland-West Knock International Airport,
Co. Mayo, by Mr. Martin Cullen T.D., Minister for Transport,
that following the scheduled completion of Phase One of the
Western Rail Corridor from Ennis to Athenry in 2008, the
roll-out of the project will continue immediately to Tuam
and Claremorris.

Speaking at a meeting with a West on Track delegation,
the Minister said that he did not favour a stop-start
approach to the delivery of the project and that he believed
that the connection to Claremorris would be more than
viable.

The Minister also stated that his Department had set
aside more than ¤100million for the first two phases of
the corridor to Athenry and Tuam respectively. He also
confirmed that major construction work on the first phase of
the railway would start next month and that track-laying
would soon commence.

Commending the Minister and the Government, a spokesman
for West on Track said that the Minister's statement was a
clear and unequivocal indication that the Government is
intent on pressing ahead with the WRC project from Ennis to
Claremorris as part of the Transport 21 programme. He also
noted the Minister's commitment to continue the project to
Collooney in due course.

"The Minister has today confirmed the Government's
intention to proceed directly to Tuam and Claremorris," said
a spokesman for West on Track. "This will ensure that the
re-opened Phase 1 of the corridor will have the maximum
impact in terms of passenger numbers and value for money to
the state, because, when completed, it will also connect
Castlebar, Ballina and Westport to the WRC network, linking
them to Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford."

"This very positive and welcome statement follows the
statement by Minister Éamon Ó Cuív at
the recent West on Track conference that he was confident
that once the project got under way that the timeframe would
be comfortably shortened," he added.

He also commended Iarnród Éireann for the
professional and speedy manner in which it was progressing
the project.

The meeting was attended by West on Track representatives
from Tuam, Claremorris and Tubbercurry and was accompanied
by Deputy John Carty T.D. and Mr. Ronan Long, President of
Tuam Chamber of Commerce.